With the harvest now wrapped for the majority of tillage farmers, all eyes will now be on getting crops into the ground.

Agriland visited Grieskirchen, Austria, to see Pottinger’s newest updates to its seeding and cultivating range first hand.

This included the highly anticipated new Synkro cultivators, the recently updated Plano shallow cultivators, the new Aerosem M implement mounted pneumatic seed drill, and the updated Puro H 3000 precision planter.

All of this comes in a year where Pottinger celebrates 25 years of innovating and developing precision sowing technology.

Synkro cultivators

The new Synkro cultivators have arrived with a variety of new and innovative features to make the machine a “true all-rounder”.

The linkage-mounted machine will be offered with a working width of 2.5m or 3m as a rigid setup.

Alternatively, customers can opt for a 4m or 5m option in either a rigid configuration or as a folding setup.

Those who opt for the rigid set-ups will be able to avail of the option to fit hydraulic depth wheels on the front of the machine.

The installation of depth wheels will allow farmers and contractors to ensure a consistent working depth, a feature which may be particularly useful on rough fields.

That is something which Irish farmers are all too familiar with when the harvest is done in less than ideal conditions, or in fields which are being reseeded after livestock, or with crops such as maize where ruts are all too common.

Rigid set-ups will come with the option to fit hydraulic depth wheels

The machine’s whole frame has been redesigned with weight reduction in mind to reduce soil compaction.

The 5m machines have witnessed a weight reduction of up to 270kg.

As well as that, the tine arrangement has also being rearranged, with the 5m machine now having 17 shanks, while the 4m machine has 13 shanks spaced approximately 30cm apart.

The symmetrical tine configuration on the updated models ensures that the machine can operate without side pull.

The shanks and the wings on the Synkro are also adjustable, to allow farmers to determine the intensity of soil mixing and compaction when cultivating

The 5m machine requires 250hp, while the 4m needs a minimum of 200hp

The machine has also been designed for the easy removal of the rear roller in both the rigid and folding versions.

This is due to a newly designed coupling system, which also allows the roller to be adjusted to be further or closer to the machine itself for improved weight distribution.

The removal of the rear rollers allows the machine to work like a plough, opening up the soil and leaving a a loose, non-consolidated structure, rather than recompacting it with roller.

This function allows organic matter to remain on the surface of the seed bed, which Pottinger claims will significantly reduce the risk of soil erosion.

The Synkro cultivators are available with working widths of 2.5, 3m, 4m, and 5m.

The machine is fitted with a Nova mechanical stone protection system. This system has horizontal springs and a triggering pressure of 550kg, which is considered to be maintenance-free.

The foldable Synkro V models also can be fitted with four parking stands to allow for easy storage.

Overall, the machine has being designed to be as universal as possible, and proves to be a solid option in the Irish market.

The 5m model will require 250hp, while the 4m only requires a minimum of 200hp to work at 30cm depth.

Plano shallow cultivator

Pottinger also demonstrated its new Plano shallow cultivator, which came to the market earlier this year.

The Plano shallow cultivators are designed as a flat, six-row, stubble cultivator with 37 closely-spaced tines allowing for a maximum working depth of 15cm.

The machine is designed with weed control in mind, acting as a replacement for herbicides.

The rear harrow cuts weeds flat and lays them down loosely on the soil surface to dry up and die.

The rear harrow is fitted with heavy-duty tines to remove the need for a roller, further reducing soil compaction.

The harrow is completely adjustable by the machine hydraulic system, allowing the angle of the tines to be changed from the comfort of the cab.

The Plano shallow cultivators have a a maximum working depth of 15cm and working width of 6m

The square profile tine system can be changed out for a rear roller easily, thanks to the quick-change system.

The chassis can be regulated independently from the rest of the machine, to allow for a smooth finish at a consistent depth.

The new spiral spring tines offer an alternative to the pre-tensioned tine, ideal for light to medium-heavy soil types and for seedbed preparation.

According to Pottinger, the system allows high volumes of organic matter to pass through the tine, providing a finely crumbled seed bed.

As well as that, there is an option to fit new wheel mark loosening tines, which are said to easily loosen tractor wheel tracks during seedbed preparation without having to set the whole machine to a deeper working depth.

The machine is currently only available as a 6m model, requiring 250hp minimum, with the machine topping out at 12-14kph.

Puro H 3000

Once the Synkro and the Plano have the seed bed prepared, it will be time to get to work with planting.

For that, Pottinger has unveiled the Puro H 3000 precision planter range, which will be rolled out across Europe through spring 2027.

The Puro H 3000 is fitted with six individual planter units designed to operate across a range of conditions, whether you are planting zero-tilled fields or ploughed pastures.

The machine which has been reengineered from scratch, will be available with a working width of 4.2m or 4.5m.

It then folds down to just 3m when in the horizontal transport position, an accessible manoeuvre thanks to its telescopic tool bar.

The planter can be spaced to work at a row width of either 70cm or 75cm.

The Puro H 3000 requires a minimum of 90hp for optimal usage, and operates at a working speed of 8.5kph.

The Puro H 3000 has a working width of 4.2m or 4.5m

The machine is fitted with mechanical metering, although Pottinger have electric metering units planned as an optional extra.

These metering units operate under a slight vacuum, and with the combined effect of gravity, seeds are delivered to the seed slot and placed precisely on the seed bed.

According to the manufacturer, the two-part configuration of each metering unit makes working with the machine extremely convenient.

This is because the seed plates can be changed even when the hopper is full, thanks to a convenient shut-off plate at the bottom.

The hoppers themselves are made from a special synthetic compound which can survive tough environmental conditions, improving the life-span of the machine.

The waterproof hoppers have a capacity of 68L each, holding up to 900,000 maize seeds.

Pottinger noted that the depth and spacing of each fertiliser band can be adjusted independently of the seed coulters.

The sizable ground wheels also ensure the planter maintains consistent traction with the ground to boost precision planting.

As well as that, the newly designed planter is equipped with “sophisticated features” such as Dual Disc coulters.

The slightly offset double-disc system improves precision and uniformity when seeding.

Aerosem

The Austrian machinery giant also showcased its new Aerosem M implement-mounted pneumatic seed drill.

The machine has hit the market with three optional working widths of 3m, 3.5m, and 4m, all of which come with an array of new configurations.

The number of rows available range from 24 to 32, each with a 12.5cm or 15cm spacing.

The machine will also be available as a double hopper system or a precision metering system.

Consumers can opt for a standard hopper, with or without precision combi seeding, or a double hopper with a pressurised hopper system.

The Aerosem M has an optional hopper extension which increases the capacity to 650L of seed and 1200L of fertiliser

Either way, with a large seed capacity, precision metering, a distribution head, and a coulter bar with Dual Disc coulters, Pottinger says the machine is suitable for everything from general cereal seeding to precision maize seeding.

Pottinger described the machine’s intelligent distribution system as the ‘centrepiece’ of the Aerosem M, regardless of which options are chosen.

The optional feature controls each outlet, allowing for easy control over functions such as the coulter pipes and tramlines.

This allows individual rows to be shut off for any reason, whether to prevent overlap or create tramlines, ultimately delivering a precise and efficient platform for all seed forms.

The double-disc coulters are another important feature of the Aerosem M, with pressure adjustment improving soil/seed contact and depth control.

The machine’s modified double disc coulters achieve pressure of up to 60kg.

This ensures each seed is optimally embedded in the furrow before a press roller compresses the seed in.

Pottinger has also clarified that there will be an option to fit rear harrow tines to the seed drill, ensuring each seed is covered with soil immediately behind the drill.

This is particularly useful in heavy and rough soils, which are common in Ireland.

The machine has three optional working widths of 3m, 3.5m, and 4m

Having a choice in hoppers is a desirable option, according to Pottinger.

The standard hopper offered with the Aerosem M holds 1,250L of seed material, but can be expanded by 600L to a total of 1,850L.

Farmers or contractors choosing this option will end up running an injector metering system to achieve even distribution of seed.

If buying the seed drill with precision combi seeding, the precision metering separator splits the standard hopper into two 225L seed tanks and one 800L tank for fertiliser.

The Aerosem M can also be run alongside the AMICO F hopper to provide additional space for seed

However, the seed hoppers can both be upgraded to 325L capacities, an extra 200L of seed overall, while the fertiliser hopper can be increased to 1200L, a 400L increase from standard.

The third and final hopper option is a double hopper with a pressurised system, a feature Pottinger has added for single shoot sowing.

This option sees a total capacity of 2,000L divided by a 60:40 ratio, with a separate metering unit in place for each hopper.

This option allows operators to mix different seeds and fertilisers through the machine at application rates of up to 520kg/ha.

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